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But wild Ambition loves to slide, not stand,
And Fortune's ice prefers to Virtue's land.
But wild Ambition loves to slide, not stand,
And Fortune's ice prefers to Virtue's land.
Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast, that however high we reach we are never satisfied.
Ambition is so powerful a passion in the human breast, that however high we reach we are never satisfied.
On the summit see,
The seals of office glitter in his eyes;
He climbs, he pants, he read more
On the summit see,
The seals of office glitter in his eyes;
He climbs, he pants, he grasps them! At his heels,
Close at his heels, a demagogue ascends,
And with a dexterous jerk soon twists him down,
And wins them, but to lose them in his turn.
Like dogs in a wheel, birds in a cage, or squirrels in a chain, ambitious men still climb and climb, read more
Like dogs in a wheel, birds in a cage, or squirrels in a chain, ambitious men still climb and climb, with great labor, and incessant anxiety, but never reach the top.
But what will not ambition and revenge
Descend to? who aspires must down as low
As high read more
But what will not ambition and revenge
Descend to? who aspires must down as low
As high he soar'd, obnoxious first and last
To basest things.
On what strange stuff Ambition feeds!
On what strange stuff Ambition feeds!
The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, read more
The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!
I do not fear failure. I only fear the "slowing up" of the engine inside of me which is pounding, read more
I do not fear failure. I only fear the "slowing up" of the engine inside of me which is pounding, saying, "Keep going, someone must be on top, why not you?"
Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make read more
Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.